Elections Committee Conduct of Elections

IFSW General Meeting 2004, 29 Sept. - 1 Oct. in Adelaide, Australia.

From IFSW Constitution and By-Laws adopted by the General Meeting in Geneva 2002.

c) The General Meeting elects the President and Treasurer and formally receives the results of the election of the Vice Presidents and Members-at-large made by the Regions.

a) An Elections Officer, a First and Second Alternate Elections Officer, shall be elected at the General Meeting and shall constitute the Elections Committee. The Elections Committee Members are ineligible for nomination as Members of the Executive Committee during their respective periods of office.

b) The period of office for the Elections Officer, and the First and Second Alternate Elections Committee Members shall be two years. Individuals may be re-elected for subsequent periods of office. A casual vacancy shall be filled by decision of the Executive Committee., following the seeking of nominations from organisations. Such a period of office expires at the next General Meeting.

c) The Elections Officer is responsible for receiving nominations for all Federation elected positions, for such ballots as may be necessary, and for the declaration of ballot and election results.

d) The First and Second Election Committee Members shall have the role of tellers at the General Meeting if they are present.

e) Decisions of the Elections Officer in these matters shall be final, save only for a vote of three quarters of the organisations represented in person or by proxy at the General Meeting.

a) At its meeting prior to the next General Meeting the Executive Committee shall if one or both of the Alternate Elections Members are not present at the General Meeting appoint not more than two substitute tellers to assist the Elections Officer. Tellers shall act on the advice of the Elections Officer and under his or her direction.

b) Not less than 120 days before the date set for the General Meeting, the Elections officer shall invite Members to nominate candidates from among their own members for the offices of President and/or Treasurer. The Elections Officer shall be entitled to seek the assistance of all current Executive Committee Members in this process.

c) The Elections Committee shall determine eligibility for re-election and shall advise those holding elected office, as Executive Committee Officers or as Members-at-Large, of the limitations of service under the Constitution.

d) Nominations from organisations, only of their own members, shall be sent to the Elections Committee, accompanied by the written consent of the nominees and their curricula vitae in a form to be determined by the Elections Committee, not less than 50 days before the date set for counting the ballot.
In the case of Co-ordinating Bodies only one nominee for the organisation can be put forward. In the event of disagreement the matter is to be resolved by the Co-ordinating body.

e) The Elections Committee shall prepare the necessary ballots for the elections, and the curricula vitae of those whose names are in the ballots. These shall be presented in a standard form as determined by the Elections Committee. Where necessary because of multiple nominations, or at the discretion of the Elections Officer, the Elections Committee shall prepare separate ballots with the object of ensuring that Officer and subsequently Executive Committee posts are filled.

f) The Elections Officer shall submit the ballots and the curricula vitae to the Secretary General not less than 40 days before the date set for counting the ballot. She or he shall also indicate where any nominations have been received late, and where by virtue of only one valid nomination being received that person may be elected unopposed to a particular office.

g) The Secretary General shall send the list of nominations and curricula vitae to Members and to Members of the Executive Committee, not less than 30 days before the date set for counting the ballot.

h) Nominations received by the Elections Officer less than 50 days before the date set for counting the ballot shall be accepted only upon a proposal to the General Meeting by the Elections Officer which is supported by a three quarters majority of those organisations represented at the meeting.

i) The elections shall be divided into three sections: the elections of the President, the Treasurer, and the elections of the elections committee.

k) The result of the elections, save the number of votes cast on each candidate shall be announced by the Elections Officer after each section of the Elections.

l) The ballots and the results of all the elections shall be recorded and kept by the Elections Committee until the subsequent General Meeting.